Unnecessary
by Danny vs A Month
Summary: An accident leads to one Titan questioning his true worth to the team.


I do not own Teen Titans or any of the characters.

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Unnecessary

The siren blared. Within seconds the titans were out of the tower, Robin and Cyborg speeding along in their vehicles, Raven and Starfire shooting through the air, and Beast Boy, once again, struggling to keep up as a pterodactyl. He shifted into a hawk, but still he struggled. However, he was able to keep up, and shifted back to himself, landing in the prearranged spot just as the rest of the titans were beginning their team finisher. It's alright. The hero always showed up late. And he didn't really want to be beaten to a pulp by Cinderblock anyway.

Cyborg slammed his canon into Cinderblock's abdomen, blasting him backward. Next, Raven created several tendrils of darkness, grabbing Cinderblock around the throat and flipping him over herself, smashing him down into the ground then spinning, dragging him through the ground before hurling him at Robin. Beast Boy crouched, readying himself. He was up after Robin. He had it all planned out. Nothing was harder than a T-rex's skull besides a diamond. Cinderblock got his feet under him before reaching Robin and Robin rolled under a fist, jumping and flipping off of Cinderblock's shoulder as Cinderblock spun to backhand him. Then, Robin hurled several boomerangs, getting them stuck in Cinderblock's chest, the explosion hurling him at Beast Boy. Beast Boy shifted into a T-rex and roared, lowering his head and sprinting forward.

"Beast Boy, get out of the way!" Robin shouted.

Beast Boy faltered, looking over at Robin just as a bomb on Cinderblock's back exploded, the blast throwing Beast Boy backward with several burns as Cinderblock was hurled skyward where Starfire was waiting. Starfire smashed both glowing fists into Cinderblock's chest, blasting him down into the ground into a crater, knocking him unconscious. Beast Boy groaned, slowly starting to push himself up, seeing the others standing around Cinderblock's crater, all of them congratulating each other's efforts. Everyone except him. The one that they hadn't needed. The one they left behind, then skipped when he was present for the team finisher. The one whose face, left arm, and right leg were now badly burned.

Beast Boy shifted into a mouse, beginning to make his way back toward the tower. He was in pain, he was angry that they had completely skipped him in the fight, and he was upset that they clearly didn't need him. Before he could get far, however, though the distance he got at his speed was still aggravatingly impressive, Raven landed beside him, kneeling.

"Are you alright?" Raven asked, voice as emotionless as ever.

Beast Boy ignored her, continuing to hobble along.

"Beast Boy," Raven said, not impressed by the silent treatment.

But something about her tone, the bored, not caring edge to it he supposed, broke what little restraint he had. All at once he was himself, standing in front of Raven with his burns and cuts visible for the entire team to finally notice.

"No I am not alright!" Beast Boy shouted. "First you leave me behind when you went to fight Cinderblock, then when I tried to help I got fucking blown up! Then, you guys are more concerned with congratulating each other for how great they did to check on me! You're probably only here because they volunteered you to be!"

Raven's eyes widened before returning to normal.

"Whatever," she said emotionlessly, turning and walking away.

"I did warn you to get out of the way," Robin said.

"Do you know how hard it is to stop running when you weigh nine tons?" Beast Boy snapped.

"Maybe you should have just kept up then," Cyborg shrugged. "Maybe if you'd spend more time working out and less time playing video games you could keep up."

Beast Boy's mouth fell open as he stared at Cyborg. Then, he turned, shifting into an armadillo, curling into a ball, and rolling away.

"That was not very nice," Starfire spoke up. "Friend Beast Boy is upset that we left him behind and is hurt because of your explosive, Friend Robin. You should have apologized."

They both stared at the ground, then headed back to the tower, finding Beast Boy struggling to wrap his burns, biting down on a leather belt as he applied cream to them then pressed the bandages into place. Cyborg took over for him, carefully bandaging his injuries, leaving only hi right eye exposed and Beast Boy lying in the infirmary bed. Everyone took their turns apologizing to him before they left. Sometime around nine at night, Starfire walked in with a bowl full of lettuce and carrots, apologizing for being late with his food. Then, she left again. Beast Boy was awakened the next morning about three o'clock by the sound of the alarm. He began to stand up just as Robin poked his head in.

"You stay here," Robin said. "We can handle it."

"But-"

"Rest, Beast Boy," Robin said sternly.

Beast Boy sighed, lying back down, and Robin left, heading down to his bike. About an hour later, he heard the cheery shouts and hollers of the team returning after an apparently successful and easy mission. Beast Boy spent the rest of the day lying there, watching the small TV across the room. Sometime around eight Cyborg told him it would probably be four days before he was healed again. The next day was busy. Alarms rang at two, four, seven, eight, ten, noon, three, and five. All of the fights ended with the team coming back happily. Day two. Another successful mission. Day three. Another. Day four the team came back and he could hear them celebrating how good their teamwork had become. During those days, the only visits he got were Cyborg's checkups, and Starfire or Raven bringing him food, though by the fourth day it was mostly Raven.

Finally, Beast Boy was allowed out of the infirmary, though his left arm remained wrapped and in a sling and he was still limping. He made his way out of the room and to his room, taking a set of clean clothes to the bathroom and carefully taking a shower, having to transform his head into a dog's so he could muzzle himself to keep silent as water ran over the burns on his arm and leg. Once clean, he rewrapped his arm and got dressed, gingerly setting it back into his sling then turning his head back to normal and pulling the muzzle off then limped out to the common area. Just as he reached it, the alarm sounded.

"Titans, go!" Robin shouted.

"Cyborg, can I get a ride?" Beast Boy asked as the metal man ran past.

"What are you kidding?" Cyborg asked. "Fly yourself like always!"

And then the room was empty, except for Beast Boy. He stared at the door.

"But...I can't use my arm," Beast Boy said to himself before limping back to his room.

This mission was longer. It was three hours before Beast Boy noticed time moving fast. He began to worry. What if they were hurt. Maybe he should have pushed through the pain, consequences be damned. Then, he heard the elevator door open, and the cheerful clamor that had followed all of the other missions reached his ears. He limped out of his room to the common area, stopping when he saw Cyborg and robin playing video games, Starfire sitting beside them cheering both on and Raven sitting off to the side, reading.

"Hey guys, how was the mission?" Beast Boy asked.

"It went great," Robin said, not looking away from the TV. "Creeps went down pretty easy but there were a few of them. Then we went and got pizza at the usual place. It was great."

"You got pizza huh?" Beast Boy asked, everyone suddenly realizing what they had done wrong and freezing. "Guess that explains why it took so long."

"Beast Boy, where were you?" Robin asked. "We missed you."

"Obviously not," Beast Boy said. "The mission went great. Creeps went down easy. Then you got pizza. It was great. Never noticed that I wasn't there, though."

"You should have been there," Cyborg said. "Why'd you skip the mission?"

Beast Boy raised his injured arm and said, "Fly yourself like always."

Cyborg winced and lowered his controller.

"Beast Boy...I wasn't..." Cyborg trailed off as Beast Boy turned, walking toward the kitchen.

"Forget it," Beast Boy said. "You obviously didn't need me getting in the way again anyway."

Everyone winced, especially Robin, and Beast Boy opened the refrigerator, pulling out a bowl of salad and a plate of tofu. Then, he pulled out a large spoon and fork to get salad with, holding them like chopsticks. However, just as he tried to pull some of the salad out of the bowl, the fork and spoon both slipped out of his hand, hitting the side of the bowl and flipping it onto its side, causing it to land on the side of the plate on the way back down. The plate then flipped and turned as well, dropping off the edge of the counter and shattering on the floor, the bowl following. Beast Boy growled in annoyance and walked over to the closet, getting the trash can and walking it back over one-handed by setting it on his foot. Then, he knelt down beginning to pick up shards of glass. However, after a few pieces, one of them sliced his finger open. He shouted in pain, sticking his finger into his mouth for a moment before finishing picking up the glass and standing, beginning to walk the trash can back over. Just as he was getting close, however, something in the trashcan shifted, the weight all crashing down above his foot as he was stepping, causing the trash can to slam down on his foot, crushing it, before tipping over as Beast Boy yanked his foot out from under it, spilling its contents across the floor.

"I'm going to bed," Beast Boy grumbled, storming off.

The others watched him go in silence, before Raven used her powers to pick up the spilled garbage and put the trash can away. Then, everyone else silently went to bed as well. The next morning, Beast Boy again had to muzzle himself to shower, except this time worse because he had slept on his arm, causing the blisters to rupture, then to peel off along with some skin when he took the bandages off. Finally he finished showering and rewrapping it, taking the muzzle off before opening the door, finding Raven standing outside the door, which was odd since she always showered before him, a custom that had also happened that morning.

"Are you alright?" Raven asked. "I can sense your pain."

"Fine," Beast Boy said. "My burn just stuck to the bandages."

"That's not what I was talking about," Raven said, catching his good arm as Beast Boy began to pass her to return his dirty laundry to his room. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Beast Boy said, shrugging her hand off.

He walked to his room, dropping off his dirty laundry then walked out to the common area where the others were eating bacon and eggs. He opened the fridge but saw that the tofu and salad he had dropped on the floor had been the last of what was in the tower. He grit his teeth, forcing his aggravation down and walking to the couch, sitting down and staring at the controller for the Game Station. He couldn't play one handed. He reached out for the TV remote, but Cyborg leapt over the couch, grabbing it then landing beside him so hard that Beast Boy was thrown off of the couch like a trampoline, landing on his burned arm. He shouted in pain, rolling off of it and gingerly holding his other hand to it as Cyborg gave him an apologetic look.

"My bad dude," Cyborg said. "You want the remote?"

"No," Beast Boy grumbled, pulling himself up with the couch. "You have it. I'm going to my room."

He took three streps before the siren sounded and everyone left the room, once again leaving him alone. He grit his teeth, clenching his fists as tears welled up in his eyes. His chest ached, something that hadn't happened as badly as it did now for years. Not since the Titans had taken him in and treated him like a family. But it looked like everything really did come to an end. They didn't need him. They were doing better without him.

He began to walk toward the hallway to his room but stopped as a black aura surrounded him, lifting him into the air and turning him to where Raven had her head and shoulders sticking out of the ceiling.

"You're not sleeping through another one," Raven said. "Break's over."

Beast Boy smiled as Raven lifted him up to her then took his hand, phasing him through the wall before flying after the others with him. When they caught up the others were fighting Cinderblock again, and doing fairly well at it. Then, just as Cinderblock began to run, Raven spun, hurling Beast Boy head first. Beast Boy transformed into a T-rex, crashing down on him head first and changing back before his weight could break his neck. Then, he scrambled out of the crater he had formed, standing at the top as the others ran over, cheering. Beast Boy simply stared at the ground. The only reason he had bee useful was because of Raven. She had been the only one to notice he wasn't there, again. And the only one to know how much it was really hurting him to bu unnecessary.

"Great job BB!" Cyborg cheered.

"Really?" Beast Boy asked. "All I did was have Raven carry me here then throw me. She's the only one to notice I wasn't with you."

"That's not..." Robin began but stopped.

"Friend Beast Boy, you were very helpful," Starfire said. "You stopped Enemy Cinderblock from catching me."

"No, uh, that was actually me," Cyborg said.

"You all left me behind, again," Beast Boy growled angrily. "Just go home. I have to buy more tofu and salad."

The others all began to speak but stopped as Beast Boy walked away. Finally, Raven sighed, flying after him and picking him up with her powers, flying into the air with him. He watched her suspiciously until she landed the both of them in front of the pizza restaurant they almost always went to.

"Since you missed out yesterday, I figured it was only fair that I treat you today," Raven said. "Then we can go get you more tofu."

Beast Boy smiled and after a few more minutes they had their pizza. Beast Boy reached for a piece but stopped when he noticed Raven wasn't moving.

"Something wrong?" Beast Boy asked.

Raven shook her head and took a piece, Beast Boy smiling and taking one as well, taking a bite. Raven did the same, face expressionless.

"You're not useless," Raven said finally, as Beast Boy was reaching for a second slice.

Beast Boy stared at the table before silently taking the slice and setting it on his plate.

"Sure doesn't seem that way recently," Beast Boy said. "Can't keep up when we're going to a fight, don't even help during the fight without being thrown. Seems like recently all I'm good for is being in the way and making a mess of the kitchen."

"That's not true," Raven said, an edge creeping into her voice. "You're an important part of our team, Beast Boy, and one of the best people I've ever known."

"Yeah, I'm sure that's why you can't even seem to be in the same room with me without me making you mad, because I'm a great person," Beast Boy muttered, staring at his untouched slice.

Raven stared at him in silence.

"You..." Raven trailed off.

He had a point. She did usually get mad at him. And he knew it.

"It's alright," Beast Boy said. "I appreciate you taking the time to try and cheer me up. I'll be fine once my arm heals the rest of the way. And I can handle grocery shopping on my own. You don't have to babysit me anymore. I'll pay on my way out."

He stood, turning to leave but Raven jumped to her feet, grabbing him with a tendril of energy, turning him around in time for her lips to meet his. The energy faded, and Beast Boy stood there, too shocked to react for several seconds before beginning to kiss her back. After a minute, she pulled back, tears shining in her eyes before she pulled her hood up to hide her face.

"You don't make me mad, Garfield," Raven said. "You're the first person in my life to accept me completely, even despite my powers, anger issues, and family. You're the first person to truly care about me, even more than the priests of Azarath. But I've never had someone care about me like that before. I've never cared about anyone like that before, so it scared me. I tried to hide it by acting like I didn't like you at first, but when that didn't work, I tried to act like I just didn't care. But then, when that wouldn't work and you would start to get me to break my walls down, my fear would make me lash out at you. I...I'm so sorry Beast Boy."

She leaned her head against him, Beast Boy able to smell the tears as they flowed out of her eyes. He wrapped his arms around her and sighed.

"I'm so sorry for the way we've been treating you," Raven said, voice controlled but a near-imperceptible tremble still present. "I'm sorry we left you behind. I'm sorry you got hurt because of us. I'm sorry I treated you so badly."

"It's alright Rae," Beast Boy said. "I'm not mad. I could never be mad at you. After all, you're the first person to truly accept me too. The first one to not see me as either a weapon, tool, or a green-skinned freak."

Raven stared up at him then smiled, kissing him again before setting her head back down.

"Of course, you realize there's one problem now, right?" Beast Boy asked, making her look up at him.

"What?" Raven asked.

"Our pizza's cold," Beast Boy grinned.

Raven's face split into a grin before she pressed her mouth against his shoulder to stifle her laughter while hugging him. He grinned triumphantly before sitting back down with her in his lap, Raven pulling her plate over to herself.

"I love you Rae."

"I love you too, Garfield."

THE END

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